Anyone who watched the Yankees snooze against the Braves this afternoon instead of the USA’s nail-biting win over Canada in the WBC missed out big time. For what it’s worth, the Yanks lost 3-1.

Lineup:

L – Johnny Damon (LF)
S – Melky cabrera (CF)
S – Mark Teixeira (1B)
L – Hideki Matsui (DH)
R – Xavier Nady (RF)
R – Cody Ransom (SS)
R – Justin Leone (3B)
S – Ramiro Peña (2B)
R – P.J. Pilittere (C)

Subs: Shelley Duncan (1B), Doug Bernier (2B), Eduardo Nuñez (SS), Kevin Russo (3B), Kyle Anson (C), Todd Linden (RF), Austin Jackson (CF), John Rodriguez (LF), Austin Romine (PH), Jorge Posada (DH)

Pitchers: Chien-Ming Wang, Brett Tomko, Phil Coke, Kanekoa Texeira, Wilkin De La Rosa, Michael Dunn

Opposition: The non-WBC Braves starters.

Big Hits:

The Yankees scattered six singles. No one had two. No one even reached base more than once. Justin Leone singled in the only Yankee run of the game with two outs in the fourth.

Who Pitched Well:

Chien-Ming Wang and Brett Tomko both turned in similar three-inning performances, both allowing one run on a solo homer (Casey Kotchman off Wang, Greg Norton off Tomko), two other hits, no walks and striking out five between the two of them. Wang threw 27 of 33 pitches for strikes, an absurd 82 percent. Michael Dunn pitched a perfect ninth striking out one.

Who Didn’t:

No one, really, but Phil Coke gave up a solo home run to lefty Brandon Jones, as well as another hit, in his lone inning of work and didn’t strike anyone out. That was the worst Yankee pitching performance of the day.

Battles:

I doubt Phil Coke‘s inning is going to hurt him much, but worry that Brett Tomko‘s outing will help him in the long-man battle. Melky Cabrera went 0-for-2 with a walk. Xavier Nady went 0-for-3. Cody Ransom went 1-for-3.

Ouchies:

Hideki Matsui went 1-for-2 in just his second game of the spring and will start again tomorrow. Jorge Posada remains on schedule to catch next weekend. Jesus Montero had no lasting effects from his groin strain the other day. He’s fully available.

WBC:

Derek Jeter doubled and singled in the USA’s win over Canada. Jimmy Rollins pinch-ran for him in the fifth, Davey Johnson’s subtle way of using Rollins as a defensive replacement with the USA leading in the game. For more on the Jeter-Rollins quandry for Team USA, see my liveblog at SI.com.

Robinson Cano went 1-for-5 in the Dominican Republic’s stunning 3-2 loss to the Netherlands. Damaso Marte pitched a perfect inning in that game.

Francisco Cervelli flied out in his only at-bat in Italy’s 7-0 loss to Venezuela.